Half to m



No Model.)

J. W. RAMSEY.

FIRE HYDRANT.

Patented July awe/Whom J: 77. lztuu y K PETERS. PiioXo-Lilfwgnphen Wullingion. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN \V. RAMSEY, OF BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO M. M. GEORGE, OF SAME PLACE.

FlRE-HYDRANT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 407,417, dated July 23, 1889.

Application filed March 20, 1889.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN XV. RAMSEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beaver Falls, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire Hydrants or Plugs; and I do declare the following; to be a full clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the IQ art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates'to an improvementin fire hydrants or plugs, and has for its object to provide a plug which may be easily and speedily manipulated to open or close its valve.

A further object is to furnish a fire-plug which may be operated to open or close the same without a wrench.

A further object is to provide a fire-plug with a Waste-valve which will be closed when the plug is in operation or discharging water, and that will be opened to relieve the standpipe of water when the main valve is closed, the movement of the Waste-valve gate being effected simultaneously by the mechanism that controls the operations of the main valve of the plug.

A further object is to produce a fire-plug which is of simple form, cheap to manufacture, easy to construct and repair, at the same time being durable, not affected by frost, and convenient to put into service.

)Vith these objects in view my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts,which will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings making a part of this specification, Figure 1 is an elevation in section through the longitudinal center of the device. Fig. 2 is a side elevation in perspective of the upper portion of the fire-plug, taken at right angles to view Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view in section of the fire-plug, taken on the line 00 00, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view in section of the plug, taken about on Serial No. 304,004. (No model.)

the line y y, Figfl. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the stand-pipe of the plug and the valve-rod, the gate of the waste-orifice being also shown in position on the valve-rod. Fig.

6 is a side view in perspective of the main valve. Fig. 7 is a side perspective view of the removablevalve-seat. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the main-valve seat.

A represents a sub-chamber, which is provided with a lateral outlet or bell end I), to which may be connected a branch pipe from a water-conduit. (Not shown.) An annular flange a is formed around the orifice a in chamber A. Said flange, being faced true on its upper surface, forms a base for the support of the stand-pipe A. (See Fig. 1.) A suitable number of cars f are integrally formed on or are secured to the flange a at spaced intervals, as shown in Fig. 4. These ears are perforated laterally for the insertion of bolts or rivets f, that hold the eyebolts F in connection therewith. The eyebolts F extend upwardly and engage the laterally-projecting lugs c, which latter are formed on or are secured to the wall of the stand-pipe A, thus affording means for the secure holding of the stand-pipe upon the base-flange a by adjustment of the nuts it. (See Fig. 1.)

The diameter of the lower end of the standpipe A is such relatively to that of the orifice a in thechalnberA as to permit a portion of the annular flange a to extend inwardly beyond the wall of the stand-pipe. This constitutes a base for the conical valve-seat C.

As indicated in the drawings, the valveseat 0 is given the form of a cone-frustum, the lower edge as well as its interior surface being properly finished, so as to adapt the seat to form a tight joint with its base a, and also with the valve 1), that will be further described. There are two oppositely-located ears 8 formed on or secured to the outer surface of the valve-seat 0, these ears being located in neatly-fitting sockets or open slots produced in the body of the stand-pipe A, 5 the engagement of said ears holding the valve-seat from revoluble movement, as will be readily understood.

The lower inner edge of the stand-pipe A is cut to fit the outer face of the valve-seat O,

so that when these pieces are placed in position 011 the base-flange a and the nuts 72 on the eyebolts F drawn tight the seat C and stand-pipe A will be held with water-tight joints against the base'fiange a.

As previously mentioned, the main valve D is fitted against the inner face of the valveseat C, and preferably ground thereon, so as to produce a water-tight joint.

The valve D and seat 0 are cut through their inclined walls to provide three orifices or ports 1; a for the passage of the water through them when the valve is properly adjusted. There are three ports shown in the valve and its seat; but it is evident the number may be increased or diminished, as may be preferred.

The valve-operating mechanism consists of a valve r0d L, which is secured to the valve D, as shown in Fig. 1. This rod extends upwardly through the cap-plate I of the standpipe A, a stuffing-box a and follower a providing means for forming a tight-joint where the rod projects through the cap-plate, said.

plate being secured to the stand-pipe by bolts, as shown. Upon the cap-plate I the bracket stand or frame 0 is mounted and secured firmly, and, as will be seen, the upper end of the valve-rod L is revolubly secured in the top of this frame, as at 0, Figs. 1 and 2. On the side of the bracket-frame 0 two boxesp are formed. These, having removable caps, permit the shaft M to be placed and revolubly held therein, said shaft having a worm or coarse screw-thread M formed thereon; or this worm may be made separate from the shaft and be secured on it. A handwheel K is affixed to the outer end of the shaft M to revolve it in either direction.

Upon the vertical valve-rod L a toothed sector J is secured, (see Fig. 1,) the teeth of whichmesh with the thread M of the w0r1nshaft M, thus providing a means for turning the rod L with its attached valve D. The sector J is prolonged to produce an arm 20, which is of such relative length that it will strike against the edges of the bracket-frame 0 when the valve-rod has been sufficiently rotated to align the ports a r, and thus open a free water-passage from the chamber A into the stand-pipe A, and it is evident from inspection of Figs. 3 and at that a rotation of the valve-rod L in either direction will open the ports or cause the ports in the valve to align with those in the seat.

hen. the sector-arm w is located as shown in Fig. 3, the valve D should have its ports 1: covered by the surface of the seat 0, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4:, so that the plug will be closed when the sector-arm is in the position just named.

The usual water-outlets i are provided, these being covered by the caps ll, held from detachment by the chains 76. Any suitable number of these outlets which are adapted for connection of hose may be furnished to suit the capacity of the plug and water-supply.

On the valve-rod L, preferably above the seat C and close to it, the arm E is secured. This arm is bifurcated to produce two limbs E, which diverge so that their terminal ends will be removed from each other a distance equal to the space between the three ports a and '21 of the valve-seat C and the valve D.

A perforated threaded plug e is introduced through the wall of the stand-pipe A at a proper point, so as to have its inner end covered by one of the limbs of the arm E when the valve D has its ports aligned with the ports of the seat O and uncovered when the valve-ports are closed.

As will be understood, the plug 0 provides an escape or drip orifice for water that remains in the stand-pipe A after the plug is shut off, so that when the valve II) is opened by turning the rod L in either direction one of the limbs E of the drip-gale arm E will cover the orifice of the drip valve or plug a and prevent any escape of water from the stand-pipe while the plug is in use.

To facilitate the proper closure of the drip-- valve 0 by the limbs E of the drip-gate arm E, there are sockets formed in the ends of said limbs, in which is embedded suitable materialsuch as leather or gum-whicl1, being slightly yielding or elastic, will fit tightly against the inner end of the drip valve or plug, and thus seal it when either of these limbs is made to cover the same.

There is a swell or diametrical enlargement A of the stand-pipe A produced at a proper distance below the outlet-orifices 11 and above the lugs g for the reception of the centrallyperforated cover G, which cover is intended to form a finish for the upper end of the frostcase B, closing the annular space that intervenes between said case and the stand-pipe A, as shown in Fig. 1.

It will be apparent that from its manner of construction the valve of this fire-plug will. be held stably in either an open or closed position, or at anyv point between these extremes.

If preferred, the wheel K may be dispensed with and the end of the worm-shaft M be squared to receive a suitable crank or wrench.

Other slight changes might be made within the scope of my invention; hence I do not desire to restrict its construction to the eX- act forms of the parts as shown; but,

Ilaving fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fire-plug, the combination, with a sub-chamber, a stand-pipe, a conical valve, a conical removable val ve-seat, a valve-rod, and gearing to revolve the valve-rod, of a driporifice formed in the stand-pipe wall and a bifurcated drip-gate arm attached to the valve-rod, which is adapted to close the driporifice when the main valve is opened, substantially as set forth.

2. In a fire-plug, the combination, with a sub-chamber having a lateral and vertical outlet, a stand pipe, bolts to connect the stand-pipe and sub-chamber, a hollow coni cal valve, a hollow conical Valve-seat, both valve and seat having port-s which are adapted to align with each other, a valve-rod, and worm-gearing which will revolubly move the valve-rod and attached valve, of a drip-ori- 

